Sensor with mount

ABSTRACT

An assembly includes a mount ( 10 ) and a sensor ( 30 ), in particular a rain/light sensor for a motor vehicle, the mount ( 10 ) including at least two abutments ( 12 ) for a clamping bracket ( 50 ), wherein at least one clamping bracket ( 50 ) is hinge-fitted to the sensor ( 30 ) at two bearing points, the clamping bracket ( 50 ) being adapted to swivel between a mounting position and a clamping position, in which it urges the sensor ( 30 ) against the mount ( 10 ) with a pretensioning force.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/380,248, filed Feb. 25, 2009, which claims the benefit ofGerman Application No. 20 2008 003 168.0, filed Mar. 6, 2008, thesubject matter of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an assembly including a mount and asensor, in particular a rain/light sensor for a motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A variety of assemblies comprised of a mount and a sensor of this typeare known. The essential function of this assembly consists in enablingthe sensor to be fastened to the mount and thus to the windshield of amotor vehicle so as to permit a simple and reliable attachment, on theone hand, and an exchange of the sensor, if required, on the other hand.Specifically, the assembly must ensure that the sensor is fastened inthe mount with a certain pretension.

The object of the present invention is to provide such an assembly.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, an assembly includes a mount and a sensor,in particular a rain/light sensor for a motor vehicle, the mountincluding at least two abutments for a clamping bracket, wherein atleast one clamping bracket is hinge-fitted to the sensor at two bearingpoints, the clamping bracket being adapted to swivel between a mountingposition and a clamping position, in which it urges the sensor againstthe mount with a pretensioning force. Particularly the clamping bracketmakes it possible to fit the sensor in the mount in a pretensionedcondition with little expenditure involved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an assembly according to a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows another exploded view of this assembly;

FIG. 3 shows the assembly of FIG. 2, with the sensor placed in themount;

FIG. 4 shows the assembly of FIG. 3 in a pre-locked position in thecondition at the time of delivery;

FIG. 5 shows the assembly of FIG. 4 in a locked condition during finalassembly for pre-fixing;

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the assembly in the finally assembledcondition;

FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of the assembled assembly;

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the assembled assembly;

FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of an assembly according to a secondembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 shows the assembly of FIG. 9 with preassembled clampingbrackets;

FIG. 11 shows a top view of the assembly of FIG. 9 in the pre-lockedcondition;

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows a top view of the assembly of FIG. 9 in the assembledcondition;

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of the assembled assembly; and

FIG. 15 shows a side view of the assembled assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 3 show an assembly according to a first embodiment whichcontains as its essential components a mount 10, a sensor 30, and aclamping bracket 50.

The mount 10 is a substantially ring-shaped frame which has a centralreceiving space for the sensor 30. The mount 10 has two abutment faces12 for engagement by the clamping bracket 50.

The sensor 30 is a rain/light sensor which includes a plug connection 32on one side and a moisture/temperature sensor 34 on the other side. Theactual rain/light sensor is mounted in the center of the sensor body.Provided on two oppositely located sides of the sensor 30 are clampingfaces 36 which are formed on laterally protruding clamping projections.

The clamping bracket 50 is in the form of a wire bracket here and hastwo eccentrics 52 at its ends, the eccentrics protruding over a bearingjournal 54.

For assembly purposes, the sensor 30 is inserted into the mount 10,which is usually already fitted to a windshield of a motor vehicle; theplug connection 32 and the moisture/temperature sensor 34 ensuringtogether with corresponding recesses in the mount 10 that the sensor 30can only be inserted in one single correct orientation (see FIG. 3).

In the as-delivered condition the clamping bracket 50 is pre-locked atthe sensor 30 (see FIG. 4) and is shifted during assembly into acorrectly locked position (see FIG. 5), in which the bearing journals 54with the eccentrics 52 of the clamping bracket are positioned betweenthe clamping faces 36 and the abutment faces 12. The clamping bracket isthen swiveled through 90 degrees so that a pretension of 30 N is appliedon each bearing point through the eccentric, the pretension being usedto press the sensor 30 into the mount 10. In the clamping position, i.e.swiveled through 90 degrees (see FIG. 6), the clamping bracket 50 locksinto place behind two locking projections 16 on the mount 10. In thelocked condition, a part of the clamping bracket 50 which acts as acontact pressure section 56 lies in a depression in the area of themoisture/temperature sensor 34 to also press the sensor 30 towards themount 10 in this area.

FIG. 9 shows a mount according to a second embodiment. The differencefrom the first embodiment consists in that not only one single clampingbracket 50 is used, but two clamping brackets, and in that the clampingbrackets 50 do not have eccentrics provided thereon for applying theclamping force, but clamping projections 60 which are arranged beyondthe bearing journal of the clamping bracket 50.

FIG. 10 shows the preassembled condition, in which the two clampingbrackets 50 are in the mounting position. The sensor 30, along with thetwo clamping brackets 50, is inserted into the mount 10 (see FIGS. 11and 12), in which it is pre-locked by means of a clipping point. Thenthe two clamping brackets 50 are each moved outward through 90 degreesinto the clamping position, in which the clamping projections 60 engagethe abutment faces 12 of the mount 10 and thereby press the sensor 30against the mount 10 with a pretensioning force of 15 N per bearingpoint. In the clamping position the clamping brackets 50 snap into placebehind locking projections 16 of the mount 10. The clamping projections60 engaging the abutment faces 12 can be clearly seen in FIG. 15.

1. An assembly comprising a mount and a rain/light sensor for a motorvehicle, the mount including at least two abutments for a clampingbracket, wherein at least one clamping bracket is hinge-fitted to thesensor at two bearing points, the clamping bracket being adapted toswivel between a mounting position and a clamping position, in which iturges the sensor against the mount with a pretensioning force, whereinfour bearing points are provided which are arranged opposite each otherin pairs.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the clampingbracket has ends that each include a clamping projection.
 3. Theassembly according to claim 1, wherein the mount is provided with atleast one locking projection behind which the clamping bracket snapsinto place in the clamping position.
 4. The assembly according to claim1, wherein the at least one clamping bracket includes a first clampingbracket having a first pair of bearing points arranged opposite eachother and a second clamping bracket having a second pair of bearingpoints arranged opposite each other, the first clamping bracket beingadapted to swivel about the first pair of bearing points relative to thesensor and the second clamping bracket being adapted to swivel about thesecond pair of bearing points relative to the sensor.
 5. The assemblyaccording to claim 4, wherein the first pair of bearing points includesfirst and second coaxial bearing points and the second pair of bearingpoints includes third and fourth coaxial bearing points.
 6. The assemblyaccording to claim 5, wherein the first clamping bracket includes firstand second clamping projections that engage first and second abutmentson the mount, the second clamping bracket including third and fourthclamping projections that engage third and fourth abutments on themount.
 7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the mount has afirst locking projection that engages the first clamping bracket to holdthe first clamping bracket in the clamping position with the first andsecond clamping projections engaging the first and second abutments, themount having a second locking projection that engages the secondclamping bracket to hold the second clamping bracket in the clampingposition with the third and fourth clamping projections engaging thethird and fourth abutments.
 8. An assembly according to claim 7, whereinthe first locking projection engages the first clamping bracket betweenthe first and second bearing points when the first clamping bracket isin the clamping position, the second locking projection engaging thesecond clamping bracket between the third and fourth bearing points whenthe second clamping bracket is in the clamping position.
 9. An assemblycomprising a mount, at least one clamping bracket, and a rain/lightsensor for a motor vehicle, the at least one clamping bracket beinghinge-fitted to the sensor at first and second coaxial bearing points,the mount including first and second abutments engageable by the atleast one clamping bracket, the at least one clamping bracket beingadapted to swivel about the first and second bearing points between amounting position and a clamping position, in which the at least oneclamping bracket engages the first and second abutments on the mount andthe clamping bracket urges the sensor against the mount with apretensioning force.
 10. The assembly according to claim 9 wherein theat least one clamping bracket includes a first clamping bracket having afirst pair of coaxial bearing points arranged opposite each other and asecond clamping bracket having a second pair of coaxial bearing pointsarranged opposite each other, the first clamping bracket being adaptedto swivel about the first pair of bearing points relative to the sensorand the second clamping bracket being adapted to swivel about the secondpair of bearing points relative to the sensor.
 11. The assemblyaccording to claim 9, wherein the mount is provided with at least onelocking projection behind which the clamping bracket snaps into place inthe clamping position.
 12. The assembly according to claim 11, whereinthe at least one locking projection engages the clamping bracket betweenthe first and second bearing points.
 13. The assembly according to claim9, wherein the at least one clamping bracket includes first and secondclamping projections that engage the first and second abutments on themount.